We are committed to restoring trust and collaborative leadership and refocusing our efforts on delivering our long-term goals of a financially sound council and a smart, liveable and sustainable city.

Newcastle is emerging as a global city and we are doing our bit to attract investment, jobs and opportunity.

This year's delivery plan and budget predicts a third consecutive surplus for the Council and outlines how funds from current reserves and future operating surpluses will cover the cost of addressing the $94 million infrastructure backlog by 2020.

We have reached the half-way milestone in our iconic Bathers Way project to provide widened pathways and improved amenity from Nobbys to Merewether Beach. Work is now underway to stabilise the seawall at South Newcastle to make way for the next stage of the project which will extend the Bathers Way from South Newcastle to King Edward Park.

This year we are spending $3.4 million on new cycle ways, line marking and bollard removal and replacement, way-finding signage and cycling education and promotion.

Earlier this year we released Connecting Newcastle: Our urban renewal vision. In it we advocate for light rail to be integrated with current transport modes, a solution that will create the space for separated cycle ways, widened footpaths, trees and on-street parking - all elements needed to revitalise the city.

We also want to see the light rail extended to link our suburbs to the city centre, education and medical facilities as well as major transport and employment nodes.

Our Smart City initiatives are fostering collaborations focused on our city’s future, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in Newcastle.

Meanwhile, we are allocating a million dollars to the growth of major events, in turn promoting investment, jobs and tourism for our city.

For more information on the Delivery Program, visit the council’s website at newcastle.nsw.gov.au